


you were always to be a dagger

by lnmiose



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Assassination Plot(s), Background Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Friends to Lovers to Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Slow Burn, i think that just about covers it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:01:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22470703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lnmiose/pseuds/lnmiose
Summary: In order to secure a peaceful future, a marriage is arranged between princes Chrom and Robin to ease tensions between their two kingdoms.However, as the two princes grow closer, it starts to become apparent that not everything in this arrangement is quite as it seems.Robin is destined to kill Chrom, after all.
Relationships: Chrom/My Unit | Reflet | Robin
Comments: 12
Kudos: 79





	1. Chapter 1

The marriage between Prince Chrom of Ylisse and Prince Robin of Plegia was to be purely political. There was to be no heartfelt proposal, no tears of joy as Chrom got down on one knee for the reveal of a ring, no passionate kiss that marked the two of them about to embark on the rest of their lives together. This marriage was not for love, nor for personal happy endings. This was politics; a contract made for the good of the people. Selfish feelings had no place here. 

_ To bridge the gap between our two countries, for our citizens whose lives have been ravaged by war, to secure an amicable future that will promise peace and stability… Anything is worth it.  _

This was what Chrom told himself as he shifted on his feet, looking at himself in the mirror, staring down his reflection so hard that one might think it was about to run away from him. He was dressed head to toe in expensive cotton, his outfit having been made to order for this very occasion. He would be meeting his husband to be for the first time very shortly, and no effort had been wasted in making sure Chrom looked the part of Ylissean royalty for what would be a historic diplomatic exchange. 

However, all Chrom’s mind was beginning to be able to focus on was how uncomfortably close his collar was fitted to his neck, and how some label on the inside of his silk shirt rubbed annoyingly at his back, and how the seams of these tight trousers he’d been forced to wear itched obnoxiously at his sides, and- 

Chrom huffed a sigh, expelling the frustration and anxiety that he now realised had been building in his chest.

He  _ hated _ diplomacy. 

Not because of any dislike he held for arrangements towards peace, Gods no, but because he had come to terms with the fact that he just wasn’t cut out for it. It had always been Emmeryn who handled things with grace. She always seemed to know what to say to smooth a situation over, and she always appeared to do it with ease. She was a gifted people person, and she knew just how to navigate the maze that was court etiquette. 

Chrom, however, had not been so gifted with the innate art of smooth talking. He’d never felt comfortable giving big speeches, and he’d always found it easier to just say what was on his mind rather than what people wanted to hear. Even if he  _ did _ say what people wanted to hear, the nobles that frequented court were very easily unimpressed with his abrupt and heated delivery.

With this in mind, how come it was Chrom who had been chosen to enter this crucial contract of marriage with the Plegian prince? Surely Emmeryn, in all her refinement and charm, would have been a better fit? 

Well, in all honesty, yes, but… 

At that point, Chrom’s spiralling train of thought was halted by a gentle knock at the door. Normally, he would have expected Frederick to be calling on him, however the knight’s timely disturbances were often much more forceful and curt than the light tapping that Chrom had just heard. He supposed that Frederick may be busy elsewhere instead, in that case, and that some other knight had been allocated to fetch him instead. 

“Ah, um- Yes! I’m ready! Come in!” 

At his invitation, the door slowly creaked open, and Chrom couldn’t help but be surprised to see that it was actually none other than Emmeryn who had decided to pay him a visit. 

“Emm! What are you..? I thought you’d be busy getting ready!” 

At this, his sister smiled softly, closing the door behind her before closing the distance between them. 

“Well, yes… I suppose that the knights would split hairs over seeing me doing anything other than extensive preparation right now, wouldn’t they? I assure you, Chrom, I’ve checked over everything as much as I can… in truth, reading over my scripted lines anymore might have given me a headache.” 

Of course, though Emmeryn appeared to be everything that the perfect Exalt should be, that did not mean that she wasn’t still human. The stress of her role got to her as much as it would anyone else, and Chrom was one of the select few who she allowed herself to speak freely of it with. Even then, she had a tendency to keep her personal anxieties to herself as best she could, so Chrom was still a little surprised to see her admit her feelings on the matter so readily. He wanted to ask if she was okay, to tell her she could tell him anything, but instead he found himself rambling the words, “Still… why are you here? You at least could be resting… or... ”

Emmeryn’s gaze was soft, understanding, as she reached out a hand to gently place on his shoulder, “Chrom… have you forgotten what day this is? However I may be feeling, I can only imagine that this is harder on you.” 

As she spoke, her eyes clouded over. She seemed conflicted, as though there was a sorrow weighing heavily on her mind, and in turn this made something inside of Chrom twist painfully. The last thing he wanted was to be was a cause of her sadness! 

“Emm, I-”

“Peace, Chrom...” The look she gave him as she cut him off was knowing, but not stern. “You are going to tell me that it is alright, I know this. However… I cannot help but regret that it is you being put into this situation, and not me. As Exalt, it should be my duty to undertake life altering responsibilities such as this… You should be allowed to follow your heart as you please.” 

Something about his sister’s insistence on self sacrifice made a feeling of frustration bubble up inside of Chrom and, as always, he was unable to stay his tongue as his emotions overtook him. 

“Emm, please, I  _ chose _ to take this on! I volunteered! I would not have done so if I wasn’t aware of what it entailed. Listen…” Chrom willed for his voice not to shake as he continued. “You deserve to be able to follow your heart as much as anyone else, and unlike me you actually have someone who your heart is already set on! I… I have no such person, and therefore I have nothing to lose. I have a duty to our people as much as you do, and… for once, I want to prove that… I’m worthy of the responsibility that has been put on my shoulders.” 

When Chrom finished speaking, there was a moment of silence, and he glanced downwards sheepishly as he realised he’d allowed his passion on the matter to get the better of him. However, he was certain that he had only spoken the truth. Emmeryn’s courting of the pegasus knights’ captain, Phila, was one of her most poorly kept secrets. From their increasingly requested time alone and subtly shared moments in public, to Phila’s recent appointment as Emmeryn’s personal bodyguard, the nature of their relationship was one that wasn’t hard to guess at. 

Diplomacy, though, had other plans for them. When the war with the Mad King Gangrel had come to an end, Ylisse breathed a sigh of relief as his successor, King Validar, approached the idea of peace talks with open arms. When it was proposed that a political marriage should be arranged between the royal families of Ylisse and Plegia, it was obvious that Emmeryn was most suited to fulfil the role of marriage partner. Despite this, however, Chrom could see how much the idea of this arrangement had devastated his sister, despite her efforts to hide it. She was entirely devoted to her duty, and would never put her personal wishes before the good of her people, but Chrom couldn’t bear to see Emmeryn be the one to shoulder everything once again. Not at the cost of her own happiness…. Gods, for once in her life, she deserved better than that. 

With this in mind, Chrom had stepped in, making it clear from the start that he would be happy to take his sister’s place. Many had seen his decision as surprising, if not impulsive, but he was used to members of the court and even his friends bickering about what he did behind his back. Chrom was stubborn, and he had made up his mind. He was going to do this… not only for his country, but for his sister, too. 

“Chrom…” 

Emmeryn had barely begun to form a response when she was interrupted by a much more familiar sounding knock at the door. Chrom shared a glance with his sister, the look being almost apologetic, before calling out towards the door, “You can come in, Frederick.” 

Promptly, the door swung open, and as expected stood the polite knight, who upon seeing that he was to address Emmeryn as well as Chrom did a poor job at hiding a surprised raise of his eyebrows. He straightened the tie that he wore under his armour, and cleared his throat.

“Milord, and… Your Grace.” Customarily, he lowered himself into a swift and practiced bow in the presence of his Exalt. Of course, Frederick was always quick to adapt to any sudden changes, even if it wasn’t always seamless. “I am here to report that the Plegian entourage has arrived.” 

  
  


-

  
  


As Chrom sat waiting, his eyes began to wander over the scenery of the room as he searched for something to occupy his racing, anxious mind. It certainly helped that the villa this meeting with the Plegian royal family had been arranged to take place in was one that held warm memories for him. He had come here a lot with his sisters as a child, usually when his Father had wanted them out of the way. As it turned out… that was quite often. He supposed that on second thought the situation surrounding why he was here so often wasn’t so pleasant, but that didn’t mean that the memories he had made in the place were not nice ones. Emmeryn had been able to be much more herself in those days. While she still had to be responsible enough to keep her rowdy younger siblings in tow, she was still able to play on the grounds with them as she pleased. If he remembered correctly, he could’ve sworn she was the one to teach Lissa the prank with the frogs… 

“Oi, Chrom! You’re not dozing off or something, are you?” 

A sharp jab in the ribs brought Chrom back to his senses, and he snapped his head to the side to see Sully scowling at him. At what must’ve been a shocked look on his face, he heard a badly muffled giggle escape from Sumia, who was dutifully standing beside the door.

“Oh, leave him alone, Sully! He looked so peaceful…” 

Sully scoffed, though her scowl was beginning to give way to more of a smirk. “And what business does he have looking so peaceful on today of all days! We can’t have him going all dreamy when he’s meeting with the Plegian Prince, can we? He needs to be with it! On the ball! Right, Chrom?” 

She then moved to snap her fingers in front of Chrom’s face in a mock bid to wake him up, causing him to flinch and shove her away as he let out a frustrated sigh. He wondered whose idea it was to assign two of his childhood friends as his personal guards for this occasion. 

“Sully,  _ please.  _ I’m just… trying to stay calm right now, alright? Gods, this whole thing is so nerve wracking. What in blazes am I going to do if I mess this up?” 

Sumia’s gaze turned sympathetic, and she seemed to be about to say something before Sully cut in with the teasing glint still not having left her eye. “That’s even more reason to not have your head in the clouds!” She then appeared to wait for a response from Chrom, which did not come, and as Sumia gave her a look Sully seemed to huff a sigh of defeat. “Okay, okay, you know I’m not the best when it comes to… comforting. So, that’s why I’m trying to lighten the mood! And, uh-”

“Captain, you’re going to do just fine out there!” Sumia helpfully provided. “Speaking from the heart is one of the things you’re best at. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble breaking the ice with Prince Robin once you’re given the chance!” 

“Yeah! What she said!” Sully nodded her head, sparing Sumia a thankful glance. “So… chin up, little man!” She punctuated her sentence with another, albeit softer, jab in the ribs, and Chrom let himself smile weakly at his friends’ attempts to cheer him up. 

“Alright… well, thank you. I suppose I’ll just have to try my best.” 

Chrom cringed inwardly at how awkward his forced optimism sounded. How exactly was he going to manage this?

As he sat there contemplating how this whole thing was likely to be his doom, all too suddenly another of the knights arrived at the door, exchanging a couple words with Sumia before leaving. She turned to Chrom, seemingly swallowing her own nerves. 

“They’re ready to see you now, Captain.” 

Without a word in response, Chrom nodded stiffly and forced himself to get to his feet. He truly felt as though his stomach could drop. Good Naga, he needed to get a grip, and quickly.

Sully and Sumia quietly ushered Chrom out of the room he had been waiting in, and into the next where Emmeryn was already standing ready. It had been planned for them all to meet face to face for the first time with the courtyard as a pleasant backdrop, which was just outside, and it was important that Chrom and Emmeryn arrived together. Chrom placed himself on Emmeryn’s right side, and turned to exchange one last look with her, seeking any kind of reassurance. She turned her head to meet his eyes, the corners of her mouth turning up softly, as she mouthed the words that he thought must be:

_ “I believe in you.” _

In that moment, the knights stationed at the courtyard doors opened them with synchronised ease, and Chrom found himself taking a deep breath.

The moment had come. He was to meet the man that was going to be his husband. 

  
  


Ahead of him and his sister, what was waiting for them was as expected… or at least, it was exactly what they had been briefed on. The Plegian entourage consisted of many of their own high ranking guards, obviously meticulously handpicked for such an important exchange between the two countries. Among them was the King of Plegia himself, Validar, and Chrom did not find him terribly hard to pick out. He was toweringly tall and skeletally thin, with his skin seeming to be turning grey somehow in a way that could only be unhealthy. Despite this, he managed to hold himself in a way that commanded authority, as though the superiority he felt was well assured and easily proven. Chrom winced a little, imagining that he was going to face much scrutiny under this intimidating man’s gaze. 

Then, someone else caught his attention. His eyes seemed to easily fall upon a man much younger than the king. He was short, his hair a shock of white that seemed to effortlessly catch the sunlight, and he was dressed in much of the same splendor as the king that certainly indicated a title of royalty. Despite this distinction, something about him seemed… so very different than King Validar. He watched the doorway that Chrom was standing in with what he could only describe as wariness, and while the way he held himself was clearly practiced and refined, there seemed to be a certain stiffness to it. 

Suddenly, Chrom remembered exactly where he was and what was happening. Could… this be Robin? The Prince of Plegia? His fiance? 

As Chrom and Emmeryn approached, flanked by their own guards, Validar slid forward to meet them. Cordially, he extended a hand.

“So, you must be Emmeryn, Ylisse’s Exalt. It must be said, you are as radiant as they say. If not, even moreso.”

Chrom had to fight back a vaguely disgusted expression from showing on his face at Validar’s compliment as she politely accepted the handshake. Something about its delivery seemed… slimy, somehow. Over Validar’s shoulder, he saw the short white-haired man frown, as if he was... also disgusted by the king’s words?

No, no… that couldn’t be it. 

“So, you must be Lord Chrom.”

Suddenly, Chrom realised he must’ve zoned out for a moment, as Validar’s sudden address towards him came as a surprise. Going with the motions, he quickly held out his hand to the king, hoping that no one had noticed his momentary lapse of focus. He was absolutely certain that Sully would gladly kick him right now. 

“Ah, yes, sire. Thank you for coming all this way.” 

Was that what he was meant to say? Gods, he hoped so. He’d had the correct etiquette drilled into him before this meeting, and yet- 

Validar chuckled. 

“Please, you may just call me Validar. We are soon to be family, after all!” 

Oh. Right. Yes. 

Suddenly, Chrom realised that the white-haired man that had previously caught his eye had now moved forward to stand right beside Validar, and seemed to be watching Chrom intently. 

“I noticed my son already seems to have caught your eye, Chrom.” Validar said, a sense of humour dancing in his voice. Chrom couldn’t help but visibly stiffen slightly. Was his staring really that obvious? “This is Prince Robin of Plegia, the heir to my throne.” 

With a sweep of his arm, he stepped back to give Robin room to extend a hand to Chrom. He bowed his head slightly as if in greeting, before raising it again to meet Chrom’s eyes.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

When Robin spoke, it reminded him of Emmeryn. All rehearsed grace, poise, and consideration. Truly, he seemed to hold himself like a perfect member of the court. However… 

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Chrom quickly responded, and as soon as he did, Robin drew back his hand, making certain not to linger too long. Their eyes met again as he did, and that was when Chrom recognised it. The same look he so often saw beneath Emmeryn’s perfect mask. However refined he appeared, something had made itself very clear to Chrom - Robin was not comfortable here. 

Validar and Emmeryn exchanged more words, but Chrom found that his focus kept slipping. His eyes kept wandering to Robin, as he tried to assess the man before him. The man he was going to marry. He supposed there would be plenty of time to ask questions, to understand him better, but… 

A seed of worry had been planted in his mind, all the same. Had he perhaps offended the foreign prince? Did he not want to be here? I mean, Chrom could hardly blame him for feeling that way… quite frankly, he hardly felt comfortable himself. However, he was sure that mask of his had slipped earlier, when Validar greeted Emmeryn. What could that have meant? Was it important? 

Despite his best efforts to prevent it, Chrom’s mind began to race, and he tried to crush the doubt that was building in his chest. The enormity of marrying a man he did not at all know was beginning to hit home, and Chrom wasn’t sure how we was supposed to navigate it. Was all of this really okay? He hadn’t stopped to consider how his fiance might be feeling about this before meeting him, but now he couldn’t help it. Surely, he wanted the freedom to follow his own heart too? 

Holding in a sigh, Chrom shut his eyes and attempted to strengthen his resolve. 

However difficult this situation might be, he was determined to make the best of it, and to start… he was going to have to get to know Robin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! thank you for reading this first chapter! 
> 
> this fic is going to be a lot of firsts for me. this is my first attempt at writing something multichapter! and on top of that i'm attempting slow burn for the first time... so, lets hope i can pull this off!
> 
> i've wanted to write a big fic for chrobin for a long time now, and i have so many au ideas for these two that honestly i didn't know where to start - but hey, i finally settled on something!


	2. Chapter 2

As he made his way to what had been assigned as his bedroom, Robin conceded that it had been a very, very long day.

To put it simply, the first meeting with the Ylisseans had been nothing short of awkward. After initial greetings in the courtyard, they had retreated back into the villa to break the ice over dinner. 

Well, he guessed breaking the ice had surely been the intention, at least. 

The meal had essentially consisted of his Father and Emmeryn doing most of the talking, and throughout the whole thing, Chrom and Robin had hardly exchanged words. To be fair, Robin himself had not done a very good job at initiating anything, but something about the setting had made Chrom appear to be… uncomfortable? He was fidgety, and agitated, and that wasn’t even to mention that Robin kept catching him obviously staring. 

He huffed a sigh at the memory. It was important for him to learn as much about the Ylissean prince as he could, but quite frankly he wasn’t sure what to make of him. Was he interested in Robin? Afraid? Suspicious? All of these things were possible from the behaviour exhibited, and Robin had not expected him to be so hard to figure out. He’d been briefed on what was to be expected of Prince Chrom before meeting him, and ‘difficult to read’ had not been one of the traits he’d expected to encounter. 

Being so lost in thought, Robin very nearly missed the room he’d been assigned entirely, and might have done so if the guard waiting for him there hadn’t awkwardly called out his name, having to tap him on the shoulder as he did. Robin yelped in surprise at the interruption, jumping back and reaching for the tome hidden inside his coat, bracing himself for a hidden enemy’s attack and- 

The guard’s bewildered expression certainly helped to indicate what an amazing first impression he’d managed to make. 

_ So… today’s not only confusing and frustrating, but I’m embarrassing myself already too. _

Apologising profusely to the guard, Robin quickly slipped inside his room, and let his shoulders sag as he finally found himself in the comfort of his own private company. 

Robin may have learnt to become an expert at keeping up appearances, but that didn’t mean he was above  _ hating  _ it. To punctuate his relief at finally being alone, he flopped himself backwards unceremoniously onto the well-made bed, and groaned. Even the feel of the  _ duvet  _ here felt so very different from home. 

That wasn’t to say that home, that is back at the Plegian castle, was a place he particularly enjoyed being. Having to manage his Father was, to put it mildly, a chore. A chore that he longed to be free of. The old man was so incredibly sure he knew everything. He was so certain he knew how to manage a kingdom without any of the compassion required to do so, and he was so certain he was an expert on all the details of Robin’s destiny, as if it were his own.

While Robin resented how his Father viewed his destiny, that wasn’t to say that he was ever to deny its importance. ‘Destiny’ was such a grand way to phrase it, but that was the language Validar had always used, the language that everyone around him had always used. It was supposed to be his reason for living, for his existence… and when it was put like that, it was hard to ignore. Robin knew he had a role to fulfil, he had long since accepted that, and if that meant keeping Validar happy for the time being… well, he was prepared to do what he must. 

As these thoughts weighed him down, Robin tugged off the glove on his right hand, revealing the glowing purple brand that hid beneath. The Brand of Defile. The Mark of Grima. The evidence of his greater purpose, etched into his skin. Robin often found himself studying it, hoping that if he stared down those six eyes for long enough, he could begin to understand the truth of his path better. Of course, though, a staring contest could never be won against unblinking eyes, and his questions couldn’t be answered by a mark on his hand. 

Was following a cruel man such as Validar the only way for him to fulfil his destiny? Is that what he’d want if he was Grima? Were he and Grima… alike? 

Just as he may have become truly lost in the tide of his thoughts, another interruption came. This time, though, it was even more unexpected. 

_ “Mraow?”  _

Robin sat up with a start, hastily pulling his glove back on, looking around his room wildly. Surely the stress couldn’t have him be hearing things, right? Though he guessed that could explain it. What in the Gods’ name was- 

As he turned his head, he immediately spotted the culprit behind the bizarre noise.

It was a cat. 

It was a cat, and it was sitting in his room’s open window. 

Robin blinked. Then he blinked again. Were… there really cats on the grounds of this villa? It was long and slender, with white fur and brown speckles. The cat blinked at him as if in greeting, then again came its " _ Mraow?" _

Robin thought he could almost burst out laughing at how weirdly sudden this was, but he couldn’t say the feline wasn’t a welcome distraction. If anything… It was comforting. In Plegia, he’d grown up around a lot of cats. There were many strays, and they often wandered from the city into the castle grounds. Robin’s life in the castle was stressful, but he still missed home. He didn’t expect homesickness to be a problem so quickly, but… 

Ylisse had been so unlike anything he was used to. 

Instinctively, Robin found himself gently holding his hand out to the cat. In return, the cat leaned forward, sniffing him tentatively. Robin chuckled.

“You gave me quite the shock, you know… Heh. You remind me quite a bit of some cats I know back at home…” Obviously, the cat couldn’t understand him, but he found that rambling at the unresponsive feline was helping him more than the internal monologue he had echoing in his head just before. “They’re greedy, but somehow always manage to stay slim. I never quite understood how…” 

Then, all of a sudden, the cat abruptly jumped down out of sight. Left hanging, Robin stuck his head out of the open window to see the cat staring up at him from the grass outside. His room was on the ground floor, making it a thankfully safe and very easy jump. 

The cat stared from the ground up at Robin, giving him the same look that the cats at the Plegian Castle gave people when they wanted to be fed. Robin frowned. He was pretty sure that getting the cat some food was not something he was technically allowed to do here. However… 

Robin weighed up his options. Maybe… he  _ could  _ slip out and feed the cat? Or, well, maybe not… but the cat peering up at his window was at the very least tempting him to slip outside. The guard at the door posed a problem, but it wasn’t as if he hadn’t snuck out through windows before. In fact, he’d actually done that quite a lot. 

Secretly going against his Father’s stern orders to ‘stay put’ had often required drastic measures. 

Craning his neck, he glanced left to right to check for the coast being clear. It wasn’t as if he’d been forbidden from wandering the villa’s grounds, but Validar’s own orders had been to keep to himself and not draw attention. He was meant to be on his best behaviour, after all. The outside of his room from the window seemed to be surrounded by shrubbery, so he supposed that could provide a good enough cover for staying low. Satisfied, he nimbly swung his legs over the the window sill, and dropped the short distance down to the floor. 

_ “Mroaw!”  _

The cat’s cry at seeing Robin jump out of the window to meet him was triumphant, as it immediately trotted over to rub against his legs. Allowing for the cat to lead the way, he picked his way through the bushes, which soon brought him to a paved trail. He supposed that he shouldn’t be surprised at how expansive this courtyard was, considering it belonged to royalty, but the rows of finely trimmed hedges and perfectly winding paths still managed to inspire a sense of awe in him. For a moment he just stood there, allowing the night air to fill his lungs, turning his gaze up to the star studded sky. It was moments alone like this, where nothing but a chill in the air could disturb him, that helped to keep him sane at times. He knew that they could rarely last long since they involved sneaking out unnoticed, but for that momentary calm that overtook his mind… It was worth it. 

Allowing his thoughts to return back down to earth, he noticed that the path he was on seemed to lead up to a gazebo of sorts. Robin’s eyes lit up in curiosity as he realised that he hadn’t noticed it in the courtyard earlier and, as the cat he’d followed began to trot towards it, he decided this would be a good excuse to do some nosy exploring. 

As Robin approached, he was able to see the details of the gazebo more clearly. The architecture of the roof was ornate, though cracking at the edges, which suggested it must have been there for some time. He felt a little surprised at how neglected the quaint structure appeared to be, but with that in mind he felt even more assured that he’d be alone here. Except… upon closer inspection, he noticed that there  _ was _ someone sitting inside the thing, who seemed to be momentarily distracted by Robin’s cat companion who had since made its way further on ahead. 

_ Shit. _

Robin knew, logically, that he wasn’t exactly breaking any rules by being here, but could him being spotted outside his room without permission cause problems? He hadn’t wanted that, he’d just wanted some fresh air, but the trust that was built today was already fragile, and- 

“...Robin?”

His heart stopped at the familiar sounding voice. 

“Ah- um… Lord Chrom?” 

Panic had overtaken him to the point he hadn’t bothered to actually try to recognise the person sitting in front of him, but now… ugh, it was obvious. Except… 

It was definitely Chrom. He had the same signature blue hair, broad shoulders and stereotypically handsome face that you’d expect to find on any prince. This Chrom, however, had a completely different vibe to him than what he’d seen earlier. Instead of the immaculate outfit that he’d donned rather uncomfortably before, he was now dressed much more… casually. Robin wasn’t familiar with Ylissean trends in fashion, but he certainly thought the asymmetrical design of Chrom’s outfit was interesting to say the least. He supposed that the lack of one sleeve served a practical use in showing off his identifying Brand of the Exalt, but… 

Gods, now was  _ not  _ the time to be judging the Ylissean prince’s fashion taste! Chrom was the very last person he needed to be sceptical of him right now! Trying to compose himself, he started to fumble for words, an excuse for why he’d snuck out into the courtyard, but Chrom had already started responding. 

“Oh, no, please. Just Chrom is fine. I’ve never cared much for formalities, especially since we’re, you know…” For a moment he trailed off awkwardly, with the silence alluding to their awkward relationship of fiances who had only just met, but he quickly recovered and added, “Would you like to sit?” 

The question stunned Robin into silence for a moment. Did… he really not think anything of Robin wandering about alone? Or was he about to interrogate him? Whichever answer was the truth, he figured it’d be rude or even suspicious to turn him down, so… 

“...Yes. Thank you, Chrom.” 

At the acceptance of his invitation, Chrom moved along the gazebo’s bench to make room. Politely, Robin shuffled over to the bench, and sat down. For a short while, the two sat in silence. Robin wondered if he should actually make an effort to break it this time but, surprisingly, Chrom appeared to be much more open to the idea of conversation than he was earlier. 

“I take it you’ve met Banana then?” 

“Have I…” Robin blinked at him in confusion. “What?” 

“Uh, the cat! Banana is the cat!” Chrom hastily elaborated, reaching over to pet the cat that Robin had followed as if to illustrate his point. The cat seemed comfortable with Chrom, rubbing against his hand in a way that it appeared to be accustomed to. “Sorry for the… strange name. My sister Lissa named him when we were very young. She really liked bananas.” 

“Oh, heh, yes… of course.” Robin’s lips quirked upwards at the name, privately finding it quite an amusing thing to name a cat of all things. “He showed up at my window, appearing quite needy. In truth… I kind of followed him out here.” 

This garnered a chuckle from Chrom, and for a moment Robin felt that he should be embarrassed, but as he turned his head to face him he realised there was a warmth in the Ylissean princes eyes that made him feel… welcome. 

“Honestly… I have a bit of experience with cats like that back at home.” Robin added, admittedly feeling a bit encouraged by the interest Chrom seemed to be showing. “You’d probably be surprised, but a lot of cats wander onto the castle grounds, expecting to be fed.” 

As he spoke, he felt that unexpected feeling of homesickness tug at his chest again. He looked down at Banana the cat, and fought a frown off his face. He’d managed to find something familiar in this foreign land, but everything else… the food, the culture, the customs, he’d seen so little of it but it had all been so alien already. Yet here he was, being whisked off into this unknown place with nothing but his wits about him. What he was expected to do here, in this unfamiliar country… could he handle it?

“...Robin? Are you alright?” 

Robin, once again, looked over at Chrom in surprise. Was… he alright? He truly had not expected that question to come at all. He’d always hid his changes in mood well, because at home he  _ had  _ to. He was an expert in hiding his true feelings, his true intentions, and therefore concern directed his way was not a usual occurrence. Chrom, of all people, however, had… asked if he was alright.

Chrom, seeing Robin’s gawking expression, seemed to misread his shock as offense. 

“Sorry, I… I’ve never been good at asking about these things tactfully, but, all day… it seems like there’s been a lot bothering you. I hardly blame you, I mean, this situation is… well, it’s difficult, isn’t it? But, I, uh… we’ve only just met and all, so you by no means have to tell me anything. I get it, really. I’m sorry for prying.” 

“Sorry, ah, no, you don’t have to apologise! Really!” Robin really had not intended for Chrom to get the wrong idea, but for some reason the Ylissean prince seemed to look genuinely crestfallen at the idea of him being offended. “It’s not you, I just… it was unexpected. I’m not asked that question a lot, you see… and from what I’ve heard I didn’t really… I especially didn’t expect it from you?” 

At this, Chrom raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, uh…” Gods, he’d really stuck his foot in it now. Chrom’s question had caught him so off guard that he’d lost control of his tongue. “I guess… I’d been told things about you before we met, and uh… I’m not saying they’re true, but it’s said that… you’re very headstrong, and single minded, and you’ve caused a lot of disturbances, or something. W-which is to say, that shouldn’t be paid any mind! But, from that impression, I guess I just… didn’t expect you to be someone who’s very attentive to people’s feelings.”

Hearing the words flow from his mouth, Robin wished that a hole could open up in the ground and swallow him up. This was  _ not  _ how he’d wanted their first proper conversation to go. He’d rehearsed a lot of things to say in his mind, there were so many formalities he could recite if needed, but Chrom had managed to turn all of that on its head just by being… nice. Robin relented that perhaps he deserved it for assuming he’d know everything about a foreign prince from what gossiping advisers had told him, but whatever the case was he certainly deserved a kick or two for running his mouth like that. It was pathetic, really, how easily he fell apart without his well formulated tactics and plans, and he expected now that Chrom would see that too for what it is, like he’d already seen through his other masks.

Chrom, however, let out a snort.

“Yeah… that sounds about right. I’ve never been popular with the court. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that what they think of me has even reached Plegia with all the negotiations going on.” 

“Uh…” Robin found himself surprised by Chrom. Again. He was sure that his blatherings would have at least incited some anger. “Are you not offended?” 

“Gods, I mean, of course I am. This being what I’m known for is frustrating as hell.” Chrom rested his head on his hand, staring glumly into the distance. “Though, it’s myself that’s to blame for it. A lot of what you’ve heard is probably true, you know… Unlike Emmeryn, I have a long way to go when it comes to how to act formally. I just can’t stand being in those settings, where whatever you want to say is the wrong thing.”

Robin frowned, openly this time. He’d felt momentary relief at seeing Chrom wasn’t angry with him, but now he realised that what he’d said had just upset him, likely reinforcing whatever low opinions he had of himself. He wasn’t sure what the right thing to say was, and quite frankly he didn’t trust himself to have the right comforting words. If anything, though, he figured that following Chrom’s lead at being open might do something to bridge the gap between them. 

“You know… I feel much the same. About court, I mean. Formal settings. I’m good at hiding it, but I really do hate being a part of it.” Robin looked down at his feet, shifting a bit as he allowed his feelings to be exposed. “That’s why I really came out here. The cat was a good excuse, but, honestly? Taking moments to myself away from the stress of expectation is a necessity for me.” 

Chrom glanced back over at him, and Robin dared himself to meet his gaze. There was genuine interest in his eyes, as if Robin had just told him the most fascinating thing in the world. 

“It’s… nice to hear that.” Chrom replied, after a moment. “I suppose feeling stifled by expectations isn’t such a rare experience, but… it’s something that a lot of people just don’t want to talk about, so it’s easy to feel alone. Honestly, while we’re on the topic of… what we expected of each other, the truth is that I didn’t know what to expect at  _ all  _ from you. I was even told that you were a bit of a mystery. It’s nice to know we have some things in common.” 

There was a faint smile on Chrom’s face, and Robin couldn’t help but return it as he found some comfort there. Much like how Chrom hadn’t been surprised at what his reputation in Plegia was, Robin was also not surprised that Ylisse didn’t know much about him. It was probably best that way… though, sharing things with Chrom, who was so open and honest… he couldn’t say it felt bad. For so long he’d only known secrets, and yet here was someone with his heart readily on his sleeve. 

“You’re definitely not the only one with insecurities, Chrom.” Robin said, wanting to keep this moment of connection going. “I… My Father. He’s rather strict. Living up to what he wants from me is no easy task. Hopefully, once I come back with you to Ylisstol, I…” 

Robin found himself trailing off, his feelings turning sour. He wanted to be honest, but how could he be honest to Chrom about what Validar wanted from him? He wanted to say that in Ylisstol he’d live up to what his father wanted, but what that entailed was… 

Suddenly, Robin felt a hand on his shoulder, and he quickly looked back up to see Chrom staring at him with fiercely serious eyes. “Robin… it seems like your Father’s expectations have caused you a lot of distress, but… once we’re in Ylisstol, I swear to you, I will do my utmost to make our palace a second home to you. I know it can’t happen overnight, but I want you to be able to be yourself with me, and with my family too. I know this arrangement was something we were both flung into, but… I still want to be good to you. You deserve that. Alright?” 

In the wake of Chrom’s words, Robin could do nothing but be stunned by the sincerity in them. This man knew hardly anything about him, and yet he still made grand promises about being good to him, and about what he deserved. Robin had heard a lot about his destiny and what he deserved before, but… nothing said about it to him had ever been so heartfelt. Against all of his better judgement, he couldn’t help but place some trust in these words that had been spoken so authentically. 

“... Thank you, Chrom. I hope you’re right.” 

At Robin’s response, Chrom smiled slightly, and then seemed to remember himself as he quickly pulled back from holding Robin’s shoulder, as if embarrassed. He looked about, trying to find something he could change the subject with, and his eyes seemed to settle on the sky stretching out above them. 

“It’s a very clear night.” He mused. “You can see Naga’s Scales so clearly.”

Robin tilted his head up to look, confused. “Naga’s Scales?”

“Ah, is it called something else in Plegia? I guess that makes sense.” He paused, and pointed out a faint line of stars in the sky that looked like a mist rolling across the inky black. “You see that? We call that Naga’s Scales here… I think there’s some kind of story behind its name.” 

“I see.” Robin hummed in interest, and absently rubbed at the glove covering his brand. “In Plegia, we call that Grima’s Breath.” 

“Huh, I didn’t know that.” Chrom turned his head to face Robin again, and his eyes were alight with wander. “I suppose there’s a lot we can learn from each other.” 

“Yes.” Robin agreed, though he did not take his eyes off of Grima’s Breath. “I suppose there is.” 

…

For a while, the two princes sat side by side. Sometimes a silence prevailed, but unlike before, it wasn’t an awkward one. 

Before long, though, the chill in the air started to get too much, and the two of them decided to call it a night. 

“We’ll begin travelling back to Ylisstol tomorrow.” Chrom said. “We should probably get some rest.” 

Robin nodded in agreement, and stayed where he was for a moment as he watched Chrom wave farewell as he got up to head back inside. Watching him go, Robin found himself heaving a small sigh. 

He hadn’t expected Chrom to be such a friendly man. 

It was important that this didn’t let him get conflicted. 

Turning to head back inside in the opposite direction, he went over the things that Chrom had said to him. He’d been so welcoming, so accepting of him… It didn’t feel fair. 

As he entered the inside of the building and turned a corner, a chillingly familiar voice stopped him in his tracks. He didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

“Ah, Robin. There you are.” 

He could feel Validar’s sinister figure looming beside him. He steeled himself, forcing his voice to remain low and calm, like he was used to.

“I needed some fresh air, Father.” 

Validar stepped out in front of Robin, his gaze cutting right through him.

“Yes, yes, you say that’s something you need, don’t you? However, I’ll just cut to the chase. You were out there talking to Chrom, weren’t you?” 

So, Validar must have been watching them then. Robin’s stomach turned at the thought, however he looked up to meet his father’s gaze, face expressionless.

“... Yes.” 

Validar tutted, then reached up to stroke his chin as if in thought.

“Hmph. You went against my instructions. You should’ve seen the momentary panic you sent your room’s guard into when I arrived there to speak with you. I suppose that in the end, though, it did no harm… The sooner the Ylissean royal family trusts you, the better, after all. A bonding moment here and there is a necessary evil.” 

“He… does seem to trust me, yes.” Robin replied. 

Validar turned on his heel, seemingly satisfied with their short exchange. 

“Very well then. However, may I remind you... ” He paused, glancing back at Robin over his shoulder. “Do not get distracted. You need to get information. The Fire Emblem is our top priority. Understood?” 

The Fire Emblem. Their key to bringing Grima back into this world. It was a purpose that defined the life of every Grimleal, and Robin’s collaboration was essential. If it meant killing the royal family that stood in their way to get it, then kill the royal family he must. There was nothing unclear about what his mission entailed. 

“Yes, Father. I understand.” 

Validar tutted again, then disappeared back into the room he’d come from. As Robin watched him go, he realised his heart felt heavy. 

He truly wished there was another way to do this, but he was the last person that could deny his own destiny. 

This arranged marriage was a convenience, and he was going to take advantage of it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nothing quite says romance like being led by a cat into a courtyard under the moonlight!
> 
> ...
> 
> lets ignore that last part about assassination plots, shall we? 
> 
> thank you so much for the feedback on this fic so far !! i get very shy about responding to comments, but i'm gonna try my best to get over that and hopefully respond in a much more timely manner :') i really do appreciate it! thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minor gore warning for this chapter! it's only a couple of sentences, though.

When Chrom recalled last night upon waking up, at first he was convinced it had been a dream. 

Robin had found him in the courtyard. The moonlit sky was illuminating his features, and the white hair that framed his face looked like starlight. They had sat together, they had even confided in each other, he’d witnessed his gentle smile for the first time, and when he smiled his lips were… 

...

Oh, Gods. 

Chrom cringed, turning over to bury his face in his pillow. He’d met this man a  _ day _ ago, how the hell was he already having thoughts like this? 

He supposed that finding the man he was going to marry attractive was better than  _ not  _ finding him attractive, but… he felt guilty. Robin had been incredibly gracious when they spoke, but he had also made it obvious that this marriage was absolutely something he’d have preferred not to have been arranged into. Robin deserved more than to end up with a man that he hadn’t chosen, that he didn’t love, and yet here was Chrom lying in bed with his childish daydreams.

This was a  _ political  _ marriage. He’d reminded himself of that countless times before. This was not an arrangement where he was meant to find reciprocated happiness, and he had accepted that. He could’ve sworn he had accepted that. Something like this ending in some kind of romance… that only existed in Sumia’s favourite fairytales. 

Cursing inwardly, he sat up in his bed, and braced himself for the day ahead of him. 

If he wanted to make sure that Robin could be happy in Ylisse...

He needed to get his head out of the clouds, first.

-

As he had told Robin the night before, today marked the day that they would begin travelling back to Ylisstol. Emmeryn had already set off with her own entourage the night before as her duties required her to be back in the capital much sooner than anyone else, meaning that it was up to Chrom to handle bidding farewell to Validar and his guard by himself. 

This was already a task he hadn’t been looking forward to due to his own nerves, but after the impression Robin had given him of the Plegian king… Chrom’s stomach now turned at the thought for different reasons. He had little patience for powerful men with too much ambition, and this was especially so if the powerful man in question couldn’t even handle the role of being a good father. Chrom knew men like that all too well. His own father had failed him and his sisters in that regard. 

Emmeryn, of course, would be able to keep her emotions on the matter in check. 

Chrom, on the other hand, wondered how he was going to handle being gracious towards a man that he had already quickly found himself resenting. 

Despite his misgivings, however, he knew it was his duty to grin and bear it, and so he promptly arrived at the front of the villa to where the farewells were set to take place. His own entourage, mostly consisting of the Shepherds who had been entrusted to guard the Ylissean royalty on this diplomatic mission, had already packed their things onto horses as they obediently waited for the Plegian prince they would be escorting back to the capital. 

As he stood tense, waiting, Chrom was alerted to the clanking sound of armour as Frederick moved to stand by his side. 

“Milord? If I may be so bold, you appear to be rather on edge.” 

Turning to face his knight, Chrom sighed. Of course Frederick would be perceptive of his mood, as ever. 

“Is it really that obvious?” He spoke in a low voice, as he met Frederick’s ever serious gaze. 

“Hmm.” Frederick seemed to give Chrom’s question some actual serious thought. “Perhaps I am more astute to your feelings than others, but you do appear to be rather fidgety, in the way that you do when something is amiss or on your mind.” 

“Alright. Yes.” Chrom held in another, more frustrated sigh. He had intended for his question to be more rhetorical than Frederick had interpreted it. “Thank you for the assessment.” 

“I spotted you last night, Milord. You met Prince Robin in the courtyard, did you not?”

At the unexpected question, Chrom felt himself freeze up. It wasn’t as if he’d done anything wrong, he hadn’t even intended for Robin to bump into him, but with the pointed way that Frederick asked the question he could tell that he was likely in for another of the knight’s lectures. The thought of it made him feel like a kid caught with their hand in the candy jar. 

“I, uh… well, yes? He sort of just found me there. You saw us?” 

“Just found you there, you say?” Again, Frederick was giving serious thought to phrases Chrom had hardly given any thought to saying. His brows knit together in the way they did when he was deeply assessing a situation. “And, yes. When I saw you were not in your room, I searched for you. In my search, I happened upon you and the Plegian Prince appearing to be in deep conversation. Of course, I did not interfere at the time, however I cannot help but notice that you appear to have seemed troubled all morning ever since.”

At this, Chrom was not sure what to say. Frederick often did an incredibly good job of reading him like a book, but… 

“It is therefore my belief that something happened in your meeting with Prince Robin. Did he insult you? Reveal something that has led you to not trust him?” 

… he regularly jumped ahead and guessed at some very wrong conclusions. 

“Frederick, that wasn’t it at all!” Chrom’s low voice turned into a furious whisper. “We-” 

Suddenly, Frederick straightened himself into an even more formal position at Chrom’s side, and Chrom followed where he was now looking to see that Validar had arrived at the entrance to the villa. He was flanked by his guards, and following just a small distance behind was Robin. Chrom knew that it was Validar that required his attention right now, but he couldn’t help letting his gaze linger on his fiance yet again. He was dressed down after last night - his coat was still an ornate combination of deep purple fabric and gold trimming, befitting of his status, but it seemed much more like something he would wear on a daily basis. His hood was pulled over his head, but beneath the cowl Chrom was still able to meet his eyes. As he did, Robin politely nodded in greeting, and Chrom had to stop himself from raising his hand to him in an informal wave. 

“It is a shame that we should bid our farewells so soon, Chrom.” The sound of Validar’s cutting voice quickly brought Chrom back to his current situation. “Surely, it mustn’t be too long until we are all able to meet again.” 

“Ah, yes, of course.” Chrom forced his own voice to stay measured and steady. He needed to. He wouldn’t let Emmeryn down. “There should be many wedding preparations coming up… surely, you will be invited to partake where possible.” 

“Absolutely.” A sly smile slid across Validar’s face as if he were amused at some inside joke. He turned to cast a look towards Robin. “It saddens me to have to part ways with my son for the time being. As he is the heir to my throne and is key to the relations between our two countries, I trust that you will all take good care of him.” 

As he could see Robin strain not to shift under his father’s expectant gaze, Chrom found that his next words came straight from his heart. 

“I can rest assure you, Validar, that we will do all we can to make Ylisstol a second home to Robin. We will look after him. I promise you.” 

Robin looked over to Chrom, something unreadable in his eyes, and Validar chuckled. 

“I appreciate the gesture, however I do believe that Robin will be just fine.” Validar then mused, as if he was now talking to himself. “I know how much your dear Exalt longs for peace, after all.” 

Chrom felt himself bristle slightly.

“Are you implying something?” Chrom found himself blurting out before he could remember to hold his tongue. 

“Oh, goodness, not at all!” Validar threw his hands up to punctuate his denial. “Just that I know I can trust her to act in good faith. Due to these beliefs of hers, I know she would not plan to harm a hair on my son’s head. It is not hard to tell that her passion for our peace talks is genuine. Wouldn’t you agree?” 

Chrom could feel Frederick’s tense stance at his side, and he himself felt something uncomfortable churn inside of him. There was something to Validar’s tone, the words he chose… It felt like a taunt. As if he was patronising Emmeryn, and that he openly did not seem afraid to take advantage of her kindness. Chrom already knew that he did not like this man, but to so openly play games like this when their countries were striving for peace? That was dangerous. It appalled him. 

“... I agree that Emmeryn’s devotion to her cause for peace is something to admire.” Chrom countered carefully. “I think that we can all learn from what she stands for.” 

Validar’s smile still sat on his face like an uncomfortable omen.

“Why, how noble of you to say, Chrom.” 

Before an awkward silence could stretch out as Chrom struggled for a suitable response to what could be interpreted as another cutting statement, Robin seemed to take it upon himself to interrupt it by stepping out to walk forwards to join with the Ylissean entourage. In a swift movement, he lowered his hood, and turned to look at Validar in a way that seemed to say something unspoken. Validar, despite the power he’d shown to wield over his son, for some reason appeared to note it. 

“Well, I suppose I shouldn’t hold you here any longer.” Validar conceded. “I am certain that you all must be itching to return to Ylisstol, after all.” 

“Yes…” Chrom was starting to forget his manners. “I mean, my sister should be expecting us.” 

At that, some more awkward farewells were bid before Validar turned to head back into the villa, and all of the sudden the tension that had been building seemed to ebb away. It was to Chrom’s knowledge that Validar would soon be escorted shortly with his guard from the villa to the Plegian border. A voice lingering at the back of his mind prayed that would all go to plan. He knew he should be ashamed of his mistrust, that this was not the example Emmeryn had set, but…

He knew he was not his sister. He never had been. 

Realising then that it was now his job to give the order to leave, Chrom faced his Shepherds, and now Robin, and allowed the breathy sigh he’d been keeping inside of his chest to escape him. 

“... So. Should we get going then?” 

  
  


-

There was a certain silence that presided after the first part of their journey back to Ylisstol. Robin seemed to be keeping to himself, eyes lowered to the ground as he walked, and the Shepherds seemed uncharacteristically quiet. Chrom supposed he shouldn’t be surprised considering the tension that they had just witnessed between him and the King they were supposed to be making diplomatic exchanges with, but he still felt a sinking feeling at realising what the impact of it had been. It could be easy for him to now become wrapped up in thoughts of failure and doubt as he thought of how Emmeryn would have handled it, but instead he found his attention drawn towards how Robin might be feeling. He’d made him grand promises of being welcomed into a second home, and yet he’d probably already succeeded at making him feel awkward. 

Having a public passive aggressive argument with his father was probably not the best start. 

He knew in his gut that Robin was not like Validar, but their travelling companions… they hadn’t seen much of Chrom’s fiance yet. Frederick especially had already found reason to be suspicious of Robin just before, and now Chrom thought that the knight might burn holes into Robin’s back with the intensity of his scrutinising stare. 

If Robin noticed this, however, he did not make it obvious. He kept his head down and kept on walking in a dutiful methodical silence. As Chrom noticed this, he couldn’t help but take in more details. The bag he had slung over his shoulder seemed quite empty, which he found surprising since he assumed that was where he was carrying his belongings. He knew that the palace in Ylisse would cater to Robin in terms of things like clothes, but… did he really not have that much to take with him? One thing he did have, though, was an interesting looking tome that Robin was clutching to his chest. The cover was bound in a shade of purple not too different from Robin’s coat, but Chrom found it hard to make out more details beneath the tight grip of his gloved hands. Desperate to make conversation in order to break the ice that had fallen over the group, Chrom allowed for his curiosity to get the better of him.

“Say, Robin… are you, uh… can you do magic then?” 

“Pardon?” Robin snapped his head up from staring at the ground, as if his thoughts had taken him somewhere far away before he had been interrupted. 

“Ah, I mean, I ask because of the tome you’re holding. I haven’t seen one that looks like that before.”

“Oh. Oh, right.” Robin glanced down at the tome as if he had forgotten that he’d been holding it. “I do use magic, yes. I’ve been learning it since I was very young. This tome isn’t designed for magic to use in combat, though, so that may have been why you haven’t seen it before.”

Chrom hummed in interest, realising he’d brought up this topic while not knowing very much about it. His sisters were gifted at the use of magic in healing, but he had never had much of a chance for learning it himself. Once it was discovered that he could wield Falchion, he was immediately thrust into sword lessons without much of his own say in the matter. He had nothing against wielding swords, and swinging Falchion felt almost as natural as breathing to him, but magic… 

It had always inspired a sense of wonder in him. He’d seen fire and wind created out of nothing, he’d watched a healing staff stitch together wounds that looked like they could never heal, and to him it looked like watching the impossible become possible. Somehow, Robin having knowledge of such things… It made sense. 

“If that tome isn’t used for magic in battle, then what is is it used for?” Chrom asked.

“Well…” Robin seemed to deliberate on how to answer. “In truth, I actually haven’t used it yet. My father gave it to me very soon before I left. It’s supposed to be used for communication though.” 

“Communication..?” Chrom spoke in awe. “I didn’t know magic could be used like that, especially in a tome.” 

“Yes…” Despite Chrom’s evident curiosity on the topic, Robin clearly didn’t seem keen to talk about it further as he turned to put the tome away in his bag. As he did so, he plainly changed the subject. “I’m surprised to not see you ride on horseback like the rest of your guards. Are you not into horse riding, Chrom?” 

Chrom felt dumbfounded out of a response. First of all he hadn’t expected such a bizarre and abrupt subject change, but also, the answer to that question was a bit embarrassing, and… 

“Pfft!” He heard Sully suddenly guffaw from atop her horse just ahead of them. “Chrom can’t ride a horse to save his life! He tried lessons and all when he was younger, but it did him no good. He’d get kicked right off into the mud. Can’t say it wasn’t hilarious, though.” 

As he watched Robin raise his eyebrows in surprise and turn to face him with a badly hidden and clearly amused smirk on his face, Chrom could feel his face turn red. 

“Sully, ‘twould do you well to remember that we do not yet know Prince Robin.” Frederick talked before Chrom could respond, as he was already prepared to immediately interject. “Revealing personal information about Milord so readily is ill advised.” 

Chrom winced as he heard Frederick’s tone of voice, and Sully scoffed. The suspicion emanating from the knight was obvious, and Chrom wished that he could at least maybe try to hide it. He was again about to say something, but then Robin spoke for himself.

“Honestly, it’s alright… I’m a bit surprised by it, but I’m not all that different myself.” Robin scratched at the back of his head as he continued. “In Plegia, it’s expected of those with higher status to take up riding flying mounts. It's much more common to master riding a wyvern or pegasus since the desert doesn’t make for excellent terrain for horses. Despite that, though, well… I’m not good with heights. I could never get through my lessons.” 

As Robin glanced away sheepishly, Chrom couldn’t help but stare astounded. Why did he willingly reveal something he was so clearly embarrassed about just like that? Was it for Chrom’s sake? He could see Robin blush a little as Sully laughed in response.

“Hey, see Frederick? It’s all good!” She snickered. “These two dorks are made for each other.” 

Frederick didn’t seem impressed by the banter, and Chrom felt a little flustered at Sully’s comment, but he was at least happy to see that the awkward silence from earlier seemed to have lifted. A pleasant chatter filled the air, with Sully and Sumia leading the group in what appeared to be a jovial conversation. Robin, however, did still seem to be rather quiet. 

“Robin?” Chrom ventured. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh, yes, I mean… I think so?” Robin appeared to be surprised at being talked to again. “I’m just sort of not used to this, I think. This is your official guard but everyone seems so… casual.” He spared a glance behind him, clearly towards Frederick. “For the most part, at least.” 

Chrom chuckled.

“That would likely be because this group mostly consists of The Shepherds.” At Robin’s blank expression, Chrom continued. “We’re a volunteer force, and we concern ourselves with the safety of all Ylisseans. Many who’ve joined are old friends of mine, and we treat each other as such.” 

“You say ‘we’..?” Robin echoed. “You mean to say you’re a part of this yourself, despite being prince of the halidom?” 

“Of course! What good is a prince that doesn’t fight for his people?” Chrom hadn’t expected this fact to be so surprising. “We may just be a small group, but… War has left our citizens vulnerable. It’s important that they know that we are there to protect them.”

For a moment, Robin didn’t respond, and Chrom could see his mind ticking in the way he furrowed his brows. He seemed to be about to respond, but suddenly Sumia cut in with a shout.

“Captain! The village up ahead is on fire! I think they may be under attack from bandits!”

“What..!? Damn!” Chrom swore, as he looked ahead to see with a sinking feeling that Sumia was right. In what should have been a peaceful scene, there was a village nestled in the valley ahead of them, tucked away from most prying eyes. However, smoke rose from it in thick clouds, and flames could clearly be seen enveloping the nearest rooves. Chrom had seen this all too many times across Ylisse - the sight of bandits attempting to raze small villages to the ground in the hopes of scavenging loot and gold. 

Before he could think twice, his legs were already carrying him, running. 

“Sumia! Sully!” He cried out as if only all the breath in his lungs would suffice in making himself heard. “Ride ahead and scout the villagers, help anyone in immediate danger!”

“Right!” Sumia and Sully responded in unison. They didn’t have to be told twice. Chrom hoped Sumia would be alright, being far more used to fighting on a pegasus than on a horse, but he supposed she would just have to be. 

Then, he remembered Robin. He turned to see that he was not very far behind, and nerves leapt in his chest as he realised they were dragging him into combat. Gods, he couldn’t allow the Plegian prince to get mixed up in all of this! 

“Frederick! Keep an eye on Robin! Make sure he’s safe!” 

“Of course, Milord.” Frederick responded.

As Chrom turned to run again, he could see something indignant in Robin’s eyes as if he were about to protest. There wasn’t time to think about it, though. They broke eye contact, and Chrom sprinted towards the burning town.

Gripping the hilt of Falchion, Chrom grit his teeth as he pushed towards the burning buildings. He tried to focus as he could begin to hear distant screams. Hearing the sounds of innocent people in peril never got any easier.

As he drew closer, he could see Sumia crouched to the level of a young woman who seemed injured, and Chrom swore inwardly as he realised that no healers were with them, and that they only carried a limited supply of vulneraries. They had not at all planned for what should have been a peaceful escort back to Ylisstol to be interrupted by a bandit raid. Sumia looked up at Chrom as he approached, a determined frown on her face.

“Don’t worry about me, Captain. I’ve made sure that there are no villagers stuck in the houses around here, and I’m doing what I can for the wounded.” Her voice strained as she kept it steady. She was no experienced healer. “Sully went on ahead. Try to find her, okay?” 

Chrom could only nod in response as he took the words to heart and took off again. If Sully was on her own, she could be in a very tough spot. Without any kind of plan or preparation, everyone in their party had seemed to split up. 

This wasn’t going to be easy. 

Then, as he rounded the corner, a bandit appeared from nowhere as if on cue hurling an axe, a roar and spittle escaping his lips. Reflexively, Chrom lifted Falchion to block the blow, and he grunted as the axe made impact, digging his heel into dirt to stay steady. However, the blow caught him off guard, and he felt with racing nerves his balance grow unstable. 

“Hah! You damn nobles!” The bandit sneered, readying his axe to swing at Chrom’s opening. “Only swooping in once we commoners become a nuisance!” 

The words hit Chrom as though they were the axe itself, delaying his reflex to block, and so he braced himself for what would be a painful blow… 

But then electricity crackled through the air, and Chrom heard the bandit’s pained cry instead of his own. 

The bandit collapsed as a lightning bolt jut out of his chest, as solid as if it were a dagger that had been plunged into him. 

Chrom turned to see the source of his saviour, and he felt his heart stop as his eyes fell on Robin. The Plegian prince was gripping a thunder tome in his right hand, and he was panting heavily, beads of sweat collecting on his forehead. Clearly, he had sprinted quite a distance to catch up to him. For a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, Chrom seemed to remember where he was.

“Robin, what are you doing here?!” He spluttered, brain struggling to comprehend what had just happened and what he was seeing. “You were supposed to keep out of the fighting! I left Frederick to protect you!”

Robin shut his tome with a snap, and sighed.

“No offense, Chrom, but I won’t be taking orders from you.” He replied. “You need my help.”

Robin was clearly being stubborn, and he wasn’t quite sure how he managed to slip away from Frederick of all people, but Chrom wasn’t about to give up on being stubborn either. 

“But-” 

“I’m not sure what you think of me, but I’m hardly just some helpless, sheltered prince!” Robin interrupted, frustration edging his words for a moment. Quickly, though, he expertly regained his composure. “I’m trained in combat, and in war tactics. If I hadn’t been here just now, you may have been seriously hurt. Please, Chrom. Let me help. If this is your duty like you said it is, then it is mine too.” 

“You’re a tactician..?” Was all that Chrom was able to muster in response. There was nothing he could find to dispute in what Robin had said. As it stood, they had no cohesive plan for driving back the bandits, and if battle plans were Robin’s expertise… and if he truly wanted to save Ylissean lives… 

“Alright, Robin. I trust you.” Chrom conceded, bowing his head in a tired motion. “You’re right, we do need your help.”

Robin nodded in response, but his mind already appeared to be focused elsewhere. He surveyed the area around them. 

“First of all, we need to gather together as many of us as we can as quickly as we can. We stand a better chance in a formation of sorts.” He murmured. 

“Right, okay.” Chrom agreed, hoping he could keep up with how fast Robin’s mind appeared to be running. “We can do that. What orders should I give?” 

“Hmm… we have a lot of cavalry, yes? They should stay at the flanks, instead of charging ahead. They can cover ground quicker than those of us on foot, so we should also use that to our advantage when possible, but they also shouldn’t charge off ahead too far or else they may get surrounded.” Robin was speaking rather quickly now. “And, magic users? Should try to attack from a distance when possible, so shouldn’t be leading the charge if you can help it. I can also use a sword, though, so I guess that’s not your biggest problem. Once we’re all together, though, we should proceed as one unit towards the centre of the town. I’d assume that’s where the leader of this bandit raid is giving orders. Got it?” 

“Uh…” Chrom faltered for a moment. “Those on horses shouldn’t rush ahead alone, and magic users should keep their distance from enemies to be safe? And together we should head towards the town centre? That was it, right?” 

“More or less, yes.” Robin concluded. “So, now we have a plan… we should find the others.” 

Finding the others…

“Sully!” Chrom blurted out. “I was supposed to find her, I think she was by herself.” 

“Ah…” Robin responded blankly, and Chrom realised he may not have entirely put faces to names yet. “Do you know which direction she went in?” 

“Not… exactly?” He replied unhelpfully. 

At that moment, though, Chrom heard a pair of welcome voices. 

“Captain!”

“Milord!” 

Chrom spun on his heel to see Sumia and Frederick riding towards them, and he let out a sigh of relief. 

“Ah, thank the Gods.” Chrom said to Robin. “That saves us the trouble of hunting them down, too.” 

As Sumia and Frederick approached, Chrom opened his mouth to speak, but Frederick seemed not to notice through his focus on what he had already planned on saying.

“My most sincere apologies, Milord, I… Prince Robin would not listen to me, and he is surprisingly rather apt at using distractions as a means of escape.” Frederick sounded exasperated. “I see that you have thankfully located him yourself, however.” 

“I don’t remember anyone asking me in advance if I wanted a babysitter.” Robin responded curtly, folding his arms as he stared down the knight. “I figured I would be more useful elsewhere, and so I left.” 

“Look, uh, it’s fine, Frederick.” Chrom cut in, sensing that all did not seem to be well between the two of them. Whatever tensions Frederick had created before seemed to be rising. “I gave you that order in the heat of the moment, and I shouldn’t have. Robin is our ally, and he wants to help.” 

Frederick did not seem entirely satisfied, but he knew better than to question the word of his liege when they were on the battlefield. 

“As you say, Milord.” He responded. 

“Um… the village’s doctor arrived at the scene.” Sumia chimed in, seeming to want to disperse the tension in the air. “She knew what she was doing far more than I did, so I gave her space to work. I’m free to join you on the battlefield now, Captain! Or, I mean, to follow your orders.” 

“Okay, good.” Chrom said, and turned to Robin for a look of reassurance. “Robin here is apparently trained in war tactics, and he’s come up with a plan for us to close in on the bandit leader.”

“If we take out their leader, the rest of the bandits will probably then flee.” Robin added, nodding at Chrom.

“We should find Sully, and then press onwards, and quickly.” Chrom ordered, feeling strangely emboldened by Robin’s presence by his side. “If we stick together, we’ll be able to defend each other. We’ll be stronger as a group, so let's keep it that way and not split up again. These bandits won’t know what hit them!” 

Following their leader’s words, Sumia and Frederick nodded, and together they pressed onwards towards the town centre in search of Sully. 

The streets were more or less abandoned due to the bandit raid - carts of food were left stranded, and market stalls were left unmanned, all being signs of the people fleeing for their lives not too long ago. Chrom felt his stomach turn again at the thought, imagining what the scene must have looked like. If he had just arrived here sooner, if they had travelled a little faster, then maybe… 

He knew thoughts like this did no good, but it being the place his mind wandered to was a hard habit for him to break. At least he was here now, though, was what Emmeryn would tell him. At least maybe he could make a difference with what he has now. That would always be better than nothing at all. 

That was something he had to believe in. 

Then, he heard the cry of the voice they were listening out for. 

“Stay back, you dastards!” Sully’s voice rang out clear from what must have only been a street away. 

“That’s Sully!” Sumia gasped, and couldn’t help herself from pushing her horse to gallop ahead faster. Frederick, gritting his teeth, sped up too in order to cover her. 

“Wait, guys!-” Chrom called out, anxious to hold the formation Robin had planned. Turning to Robin in his nervousness, the tactician just shook his head.

“It’s okay, Chrom. Battle plans are just that - plans.” Robin’s voice was as calm as he could manage, but Chrom could sense an underlying urgency in his words. “In the midst of something as chaotic as fighting, they can be hard to stick to. We just have to adapt. Come on!” 

Chrom and Robin raced to the corner Sumia and Frederick had disappeared around, to see that it opened up onto what appeared to be a town square - the very town centre that Robin had planned to approach in formation. Sully had been forced back to the edge of the square, downing a vulnerary, while Sumia and Frederick had taken up fighting the group of bandits in front of her. There were five of them on all sides, and it didn’t look like the odds were in the Shepherds’ favour. Chrom gripped Falchion with white knuckles, and was about to charge ahead in the hopes of coming to their rescue, but then he felt a hand firmly grasp his shoulder.

It was Robin, steady and reliable.

He seemed to be looking through the fighting to the other side of the square. Chrom followed his gaze, to see a lone man standing gripping a large axe. The smug grin on his face was nauseating. 

“You see that?” Robin spoke, his voice low in Chrom’s ear. “I think that’s the bandit leader we’re after.” 

“And if we take him out you think the others will scatter?” Chrom replied. It made some sense, but it felt like a risk. He’d be leaving his friends to the bandits they were fighting in the meantime, and they were outnumbered. 

“Most probably.” Robin said. “In most cases, bandits work for the share of loot their boss will give them. If he’s gone, then they’ll effectively feel like they’re on their own.” He turned to face Chrom, eyes determined. “It’s our best shot.” 

“Okay…” Chrom faced the direction of the bandit leader fully, ready. “Let’s do this together.” 

As if an unspoken signal had been sounded, Robin and Chrom charged across the square towards the bandit leader in unison. As they closed the distance, the bandit leader’s eyes widened as he spotted the attack, and raised his axe to block Falchion as Chrom swung it at the man with all his might. 

“Hrgh!-” The bandit leader spat, his broad size helping him to keep his balance. “Where are you brats coming from!” He took a deep breath, and put more force behind his axe, managing to make Chrom tumble backwards as he was pushed off of him. “A buncha’ fresh faced, spoiled nobles… running to me to meet their dooms… Just pests for me to exterminate!” 

The bandit leader moved to take advantage of Chrom’s stumble, but Robin was ready to meet it with a blast from his thoron tome, forcing the man to jump backwards to dodge. Chrom rose again, raising Falchion in the sword stance that had been passed down to him through House Ylisse. 

“We are the Shepherds!” Chrom shouted. “We protect the people of Ylisse, and you shall not harm another life in this village, nor in this land!” 

“Such pretty words…” The bandit leader growled, readying his axe to charge again. “I haven’t got to where I am now to fall to someone so naive!” 

As the man ran forward, raising his axe to strike, he seemed to forget about Robin’s magic. Like clockwork, as he charged, the blast of thunder came, and this time it met its mark. The bandit leader hissed in pain as the lightning sizzled into the flesh of his side, and Chrom did not waste another moment. A shout escaping his lips, he swung Falchion forward again, and this time he felt the blade sink into the man’s chest. 

As Chrom drew back his sword, the bandit leader let out a violent cough, blood bubbling in his mouth. Then all at once, he fell. 

Chrom found himself staring at the limp body of the man, panting, then from behind him he started to hear what Robin had predicted. 

“The Boss! He’s down!” 

“Shit! What now?!” 

“Where do we-” 

Chrom turned towards the voices, to see that the remaining bandits seemed ready to escape in a panic. Frederick, Sumia, and now Sully who had rejoined the fight, did not hesitate as they took advantage of the moment to push the thieves back. Like the cowards they were, they turned tail and ran, with the cavalry right on their heels. 

As a sense of relief filled Chrom’s chest, he turned to look at Robin. The Plegian prince was also watching the bandits flee, his heavy breaths controlled. He was a picture of calm amidst the chaos, and Chrom felt that familiar sense of awe that he had become used to feeling when it came to Robin.

He closed the gap between, and let his hand fall onto Robin’s shoulder, as Robin had done to steady him earlier.

“We did it, Robin… Your plan worked.” 

-

Fighting the bandits, of course, meant that Chrom and his entourage were now way behind schedule in their return to Ylisstol. 

After the bandits had fallen and scattered, the people of the town were able to safely return, and they were determined to show their gratitude. Chrom had turned down all of this, however, including the offer of a place to stay for the night. The village needed all that they had to rebuild what had been destroyed and to rehouse those who needed it, and Chrom had no desire to take any of those resources away. 

Instead, the Shepherds set up camp in the nearby forest as night began to fall. Frederick and Sully had successfully come back from hunting, and all seemed well as they sat around the fire and ate their share. As the evening stretched on, groups splintered off, and Chrom found Robin sitting by the dying embers of the fire.

“Hey…” Chrom greeted him, crouching down to sit opposite him. “You did amazing today. I don’t know what we would have done without you there.” 

“Oh, what?” Robin looked surprised. “Gods, no, you would’ve managed without me…” 

“Not without more casualties!” Chrom insisted. “Your ability to stay collected, despite the chaos you were suddenly thrown into… It was something else, honestly.” 

“I… I’m glad you value my contribution so highly.” Robin looked down at his feet, his boots shifting in the dirt. “Quite frankly, I was rather panicked the whole time. Focusing our attack on the bandit leader when your friends were in danger at the end was a risk, and it paid off, but… it was dangerous.”

“It was a calculated risk, though, right?” Chrom wasn’t ready to give up until Robin stopped doubting himself. He couldn’t believe that he couldn’t see how amazing he’d been for himself. “That takes a lot of guts… you assessed the situation, instead of running in without thinking. That’s more than could be said for how I usually handle things.” 

As he spoke, he heard the words the bandits spat at him echoing in his head. It may have just been attempts to taunt him, but the truth underneath those words… 

“Chrom?” Robin interrupted his thoughts. “Is there something on your mind?”

He sighed. He really ought to stop having his moments of brooding so openly.

“Do… you think I’m naive, Robin?” Chrom found himself blurting out. “My sight is always set towards the future, towards what I can do to change things and make lives better, but in doing so… I feel as though I miss things that are right in front of me. I’m rash, and I don’t think before I act. Someone else could do what I’m doing better… don’t you think?” 

Robin, for a moment, seemed almost stunned by Chrom’s sudden attempt to confide him in. Had he opened up too quickly? Chrom was about to open his mouth apologise, hiding his embarrassment, when Robin seemed to find the words to respond with.

“Most people aren’t so willing to do what you do for others, Chrom… Putting yourself in harms way without a second thought? It can be reckless, but… It’s admirable.” Robin spoke carefully, a gentleness to his words. Perhaps, there was even sadness. “This world is cruel, and yet you dare to see the good in it. Some will call that naive, but… I think it’s brave. And if it does get you in trouble? That’s what the people around you are for, right? Something you proved today is that your friends trust you with their lives. That’s something special, something earned.” 

Now, it was Chrom’s place to be stunned. He hadn’t known Robin long, it was this time last night that they had first spoken properly, but… his words were filled with so much wisdom and feeling, they felt like a soothing balm to his anxieties. There was lived experience woven into his voice, and… somehow, Chrom knew in his heart that he could believe in the words that Robin said to him. It filled something inside of him.

“Thank you, Robin…” Chrom finally said, a genuine smile on his face. “Your words are what I needed to hear. If you’re willing, then… I hope we can make a good team.” 

Robin returned the smile, but the sadness that was in his voice seemed to have made its way to his eyes. 

“Yes, Chrom. I hope so too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, i didn't mean for this chapter to take me a month to write! i took a break after the first two chapters, and then this one took a while, and now it's suddenly march... time is weird like that, huh. 
> 
> this chapter was my first time writing a fight scene as well, which was pretty interesting. i'm very used to writing dialogue, and not so much action, but it ended up being quite a bit of fun! i just hope it being my first time with this stuff isn't too obvious :')
> 
> thank you again for reading!! i'm excited to continue! chrom and robin give me a lot of joy to write


	4. Chapter 4

After arriving in Ylisstol, relief washed over Robin as it was decided that he would be swiftly escorted to his room. With the delay in their journey caused by the bandits, the schedule that had been planned for Robin’s arrival had been thrown off balance, and as a result Chrom had been immediately summoned to the Exalt, Emmeryn, in order to report on what had happened. Robin, on the other hand, had once again found himself to be a confusing spare part. Unsure of what to do with him, the palace’s knights under Frederick’s command had taken it upon themselves to whisk Robin off to his reserved quarters, out of harm's way. 

He supposed he should maybe feel indignant at being pushed off to the side again, especially since it was Frederick overseeing the orders, but instead he was simply overcome with anticipation at the thought of finally retreating to his own company once again. 

Between the constant scrutiny he had faced under Frederick and having to deploy himself as a tactician for the Shepherds without a moment’s preparation beforehand, the journey to Ylisstol had been nothing short of stressful. While he had arguably shown his value as a tactician, he still felt far from comfortable in this unaccustomed situation. 

Proving himself to his new peers could be a losing battle.

Well, almost… 

Despite his discomfort, something else seemed to have made a lasting impression on his mind. Despite it all, when Robin recalled the journey to Ylisstol, the image that came to his mind was Chrom’s trusting smile. When he had doubted himself, Chrom had reassured him. When he fought for the opportunity to help as a tactician, Chrom had stood by him. 

Why?

Robin was far from understanding the Ylissean prince, and he was even further from understanding why his actions meant so much to him. Surely, it must be relief that he felt. Relief that the task of winning Chrom’s trust was an easy one. With Chrom’s trust, however strange it may be, it would certainly make his mission here easier. 

Right?

“Lord Robin, we have reached the chambers in which you will be staying.”

It was becoming embarrassing how often Robin, the composed tactician, was startled out of his deep trains of thoughts in public. Thoughts about his enemy prince, no less.

“Oh… yes, of course!” He fought to regain his trained, steady voice as he observed he was now standing in front of a pair of very large wooden doors painted white. “Thank you. Yes. You have my thanks.” 

Trying not to cringe at his stumbled wording, he nodded cordially to the pair of guards who had escorted him, who then stood aside for him as he opened the doors himself. 

Then, as the doors shut behind him, he finally allowed his eyes to shut as the sigh that had been building in his chest left his body. Robin knew he was meant to be on alert here, and he knew that the impressions he’d make were essential, so why couldn’t he manage to hold himself together? He decided, for now, to pin the reason for this on how little time he’d been able to have alone. In Plegia, he’d found himself in many demanding social situations, but… 

There was a structure at home that he was used to. Routine that he could rely on. He knew when he could expect to take a break, to recharge, and perhaps he’d underestimated how essential this had been to him. 

He lifted his chin, and stood up straight. 

It was no matter. He would simply just have to find a new schedule here. 

Yes.

That was all. 

And the first part of grounding himself in that schedule would be familiarising himself with what he was certain would become a much needed retreat - the bed chambers he was now standing in. 

Clearly, no effort had been spared in making the room look immaculate for his arrival. A king sized bed sat grandly in the centre of the room, its four ornately decorated posters framing the deep blue velvet sheets that stretched across the mattress, folded perfectly. On a polished wooden desk that was placed next to an expanse of window sat a large bouquet of freshly arranged flowers, its aroma pleasantly filling the room. He wandered over to the desk, stopping briefly at the large wardrobe beside it. Tentatively opening the doors, he found rows of expensive looking clothes - jackets, coats, silk shirts - that he imagined must have been left for him. 

The effort was humbling, and once again he felt guilt churn at his stomach. 

Frustrated, he shook his head as if to rid himself of the feeling, and sat his bag down on the desk. He had not brought much with him, his father had been against it, and so the sack he’d carried looked pathetically empty. Within the bag were mostly books - literature he loved, tactical volumes to study, tomes for battle, and of course…

His hands first settled on the large, purple bound tome that his father had thrust onto him before leaving. He traced the cover with gloved fingers, feeling the thrum of magic beneath them. It was sacredly grimleal, powered by the very blood that flowed in his veins. He recalled the exchange with his father about such magic. 

_“Until you have… matured, this tome will enhance the connections of your blood. Our blood. It is essential that you use this to report to me about your progress with the Ylisseans. Our ties to Lord Grima will be the power of our communication.”_

Robin frowned. He’d been told this much, but Validar had purposefully left out the part about how to actually use it. He often did this, expecting Robin, the vessel of Grima’s power, to work out his magic naturally. This would frustrate him more if there did not seem to be some truth to the method.

It had perhaps been another stupid blunder of his to carry the tome so openly on the journey here, but Chrom had appeared to be too invested in a childish awe of magic to think anything of it. Trying to understand his thought process showed no sign of getting any easier. Robin sighed, and sat down, degloving his right hand.

Now exposed, he stared down the six eyes on his hand once more. This time, they glowed faintly, undoubtedly reacting to the tome he was holding.

He felt himself tense, then steeled himself.

He opened the book to the first page. In a gentle voice, he read aloud the words that were sprawled across the paper. 

The magic that had tingled beneath his hand seemed to stampede through his veins. As the world around him morphed and spun, he shut his eyes tight, trying to ground himself against it.

And then… 

“Why, if it isn’t our favourite grimleal prince of the hour?” 

At the surprisingly familiar voice, Robin cracked open his eyes to find himself in a surprisingly familiar room. He was at home. In Plegia. 

This was his sister’s room.

And, as this would suggest, there sat Aversa at her table. Their father’s matching copy of Robin’s tome was pushed open with her fingers, her free hand resting boredly on her chin as she raised her eyebrows at him. 

“...Aversa?!” 

He didn’t mean for his surprise to be as ridiculous as it sounded, which he noticed when Aversa responded with a melodramatic roll of her eyes. 

“Yes, that would be me. Sorry for taking the place of getting more of our dear father’s attention, but he has oh so many important meetings at the moment, so I’m the stand-in. Prepping for your little assassination attempt takes up much of his time, you know? And therefore, my time.”

Robin bit back a sigh. He was used to Aversa’s jabs, but they still bothered him. 

“I’m more than happy to speak to you instead of him,” He said, his words genuine. “I’m just confused. I thought this magic was supposed to be about a link of blood, but…”

He winced a bit as he saw annoyance flash across his sister’s face. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be able to figure these things out with that perfect little brain of yours?” There was barely hidden venom in her voice. It was to be expected. “Your blood powers the tome, but it doesn’t matter who’s on the other end. Not all of your lovely followers are so lucky to be endowed with blessings of blood from the fell dragon.” 

Hearing this, Robin regretted voicing his confusion. While him and Aversa were siblings, they were not related by blood - a cause of much grievance for her, with an adoptive father to whom blood meant everything. Validar had seemingly adopted Aversa on a whim, apparently saving her after her true parents were killed. She was older than Robin, but taken in after his birth, which became the start of what appeared to be a never-endingly bitter inferiority complex. 

Robin, the holder of Grima’s heart, received much of Validar’s special attention. He was paraded around as special, a perfected vessel to worship, and it was Aversa’s duty as a grimleal to help him serve his purpose. A duty she resented, as she knew she would always come in second. 

Robin was well aware of this, and he pitied her. Any show of this pity, however, seemed to anger her more, and so he held his tongue.

“... I understand,” He spoke plainly, and moved on. “I am to report that I have arrived in Ylisstol without complications, and that I await further instruction from our father.” 

“Well, little brother, that’s wonderful to know.” The smug look Aversa usually wore returned to her face, though she still looked bored. The phrase ‘little brother’ was one she often uttered mockingly, as if it was a way to assert her place above him as the older one. Above him in some perceivable way. “I’ll pass it along, of course. How’s your handsome husband-to-be?” 

Robin wasn’t sure why he felt heat rise to his cheeks at the question.

“Prince Chrom is… fine.” He ignored the glimmer of amusement in Aversa’s eyes. “He’s trusting. Easy to talk to and willing to care for me. I’m certain to get information out of him.” 

“Mhmmm, very well.” She drawled, the humour she found in the situation apparent. “I guess I’ll leave you to it, then. I’m sure the genius that you are knows what to do in the meantime.” 

“I’ll do my best.” Robin bowed his head, and Aversa rolled her eyes again at his seriousness. 

“Try not to seduce him _too_ hard. You may get… attached.” 

Robin spluttered. 

“I’m not-”

Before he could form proper words of defense, Aversa cackled, before letting her tome slam shut. With it, his surroundings appeared to morph again, and he found himself lurched back into his seat in his room at the Ylissean castle.

For a while, he just sat there, staring down at his bare hand that still rested on the open page.

Indignance raged in his chest, apparently trapped there by his inability to answer Aversa back in time. Seducing? Attachment? He was used to his sister delighting in making him squirm, but he wasn’t sure why this instance bothered him so much. He should be trusted to do his job. He wouldn’t fail. All she was doing was teasing him, and her words meant nothing. 

On the other hand, there was also the matter of what exactly had just happened. With this tome, he’d seemingly been able to travel home in an instant. He was sure he hadn’t actually moved from his seat, that he had simply been projected there as an illusion somehow, but the enormity of it still left him bewildered. Apparently, this was a power that was _his_ , and yet he knew nothing about it. Like with so many things in his life, about himself, he knew nothing. 

He shut his eyes, shutting out his view of the branded hand that taunted him. 

He needed some sleep. 

-

When he opened his eyes, sprawled across the top of his unfamiliar and well made bed, Robin found that the sun had made its way across the sky, positioning itself perfectly to strike his face and blind him.

Groggily, he sat up, attempting to use his arm to shield himself from the sunlight.

What time was it? 

From how low the sun was in the sky, he guessed it must be past lunchtime. Shouldn’t a guard have woken him up? 

Rolling off the bed, something on the desk that wasn’t there before caught his eye. Moving closer, he found a plate of sandwiches, plainly visible within the glass container they were held in. There was also a note. 

_“Lord Robin,_

_Enclosed is your lunch, instructed to be left here for you by Lord Chrom. We were asked not to disturb your rest.”_

Robin blinked in surprise, though from what he was learning of Chrom he figured he should perhaps learn to forget this surprise. Realising his hand was shaky, he removed the lid covering the food. 

He’d always had a habit of taking naps and oversleeping past mealtimes. 

He’d have to thank Chrom later. 

His heart feeling heavy at the kind gestures, he picked up a sandwich and took a bite. 

-

“May I inquire as to where the castle library is?”

“Ah! Right down the hallway, your highness. Through there you’ll find a door that takes you to another hallway that takes you to the left wing of the castle and, uh…. Actually, would you prefer if I came with you to guide you there?”

Robin smiled reassuringly at the guard, but was quietly curious about the tone being taken with him. Was he to actually have a choice in being escorted around the castle? He decided to test the waters. 

“That’s very kind of you, but I think I would like to make my own way with those directions in mind. If lost, I’ll ask someone further along the way. Is that alright?” 

The guard bowed his head. 

“If that is your preference, very well. We have been instructed to allow you to move around the castle as you please. Within reason, of course.” 

Somehow, Robin had thought as much. Another thing to ask Chrom about when next they saw each other.

He dipped his head to the guard in thanks, and followed the hallway. 

After eating the lunch that had been left for him, Robin had found himself itching to find the Ylissean royal library. He had not been called upon yet, with Chrom very likely still busy with whatever duties he had to tend to after returning, and therefore he’d decided to make himself useful. Not only was he excited for personal reasons - the library at home had been a personal favourite safe haven of his - but, it was also a practical idea. There was bound to be information there on the Fire Emblem, Ylisse’s treasure, that could not be found in Plegia. He could practically feel the promise of untapped knowledge calling out to him, and Robin buzzed at this opportunity to broaden his horizons.

Strictly on mission, of course. 

As he walked, he took in his surroundings, taking note of the splendour that was the Ylissean castle. The walls were covered in tapestries, green and yellow to represent the kingdom. The colour scheme reminded him of a peaceful field, picturing grass and corn swaying in a summer breeze. He imagined Ylisse had plenty of scenery like this, quite in contrast to the unforgiving deserts of Plegia. He found himself hoping to see such scenery with his own eyes. 

Then, as he reached a corner, he stopped, being dragged from his unwittingly pleasant daydream by two familiar voices. 

“...Milord, I respect your intentions. However, I must plead with you to reconsider this choice.” 

“Frederick, I will not. I see no reason why we should make Robin feel like a prisoner here when this castle and country is now his home!”

Robin froze, listening intently. It was Chrom and Frederick, and he had happened upon them discussing him. As much as he wanted to smugly appear in front of the knight who seeked to thwart him, he knew that the information here could be valuable. Staying hidden was a better plan.

“That aside,” Without even seeing the man, Robin could hear the worn patience in Frederick’s voice. “He is still the prince of a nation we were at war with. I believe precautions should be taken until we are able to ascertain his intentions for certain. Allowing him to navigate the castle with no supervision is ill advised, and I have every intention of making my thoughts on this known.” 

“Frederick, may I remind you that this foreign prince you speak of is my fiance?” The frustration in Chrom’s voice was plain as well. A frustration that surprised Robin. “We are to be married, and that relationship involves trust. If I am not meant to trust him, tell me, why was this marriage agreed to on my behalf in the first place? Now, if we could drop this, that would be wonderful.” 

The end of Chrom’s sentence was punctuated by the sound of him storming away. A sigh could be heard from Frederick, as the clanking of armour signalled that he was likely following. 

Taking a few seconds to be sure they were really gone, Robin let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Until now, Robin had taken Chrom’s seemingly blind trust in him as simple naivety. It was true what he’d said before, that he looked up to and, in truth, envied Chrom’s approach to life. That the ability to be straightforward and to trust others was one to be admired. Even so, he could not deny that Chrom’s trust in him was not well placed. 

However, hearing Chrom now, he found his perception shifting. This was the first time he’d heard his fiance express what could be interpreted as discomfort with their marriage - a discomfort that was understandable, expected. However much he did believe that Chrom regarded him in good faith, that Chrom trusted him, they still did not know each other. This was impacting Chrom as much as it would anyone else. He had taken this for granted.

As Robin allowed his feet to continue to carry him in the direction of the library, he found a new kind of guilt nag at his belly. How could he have overlooked this? Of course Chrom wasn’t as simple as the perfectly open man he’d presented himself as to him, and it had been stupid of him to not consider this. He tried to rationalise his feelings as realising that how he was to approach Chrom would be more complicated than he’d thought, but he knew it was more than that. 

There was no use denying it. He felt bad about not thinking more about the feelings of a man he was meant to kill. 

“...”

Deep in thought, yet again, Robin came close to bumping into another guard. 

“Oh- Lord Robin, your highness. Have you come to the library?” 

Well, at least his random wandering had apparently hit the jackpot. He supposed he had the previous guard’s vague directions to thank for that.

“Yes! I have.” Robin hoped his trained smile was adequately masking the thoughts he’d been wallowing in moments prior. “Have I arrived at it?” 

“Indeed you have. Right through this doorway, your highness.” The guard spoke, cordially gesturing to the set of oak doors she’d clearly been assigned to as a post. 

At this, Robin nodded his thanks, and faintly felt the familiar excitement return to him despite himself as he entered the library. 

The space was almost exactly what he had dreamed of. Shelves upon shelves towered high to the ceiling, stacked with all manner of tomes and books, and Robin found he had to stop his mouth gaping with childish glee at the sight of it. Despite being so far from home, the smell was familiar - that of old paper and dusty covers. 

He reminded himself that he wasn’t here to read just anything. Not today, anyway. 

As he wandered inside, he located a studious looking mage, asking where books on Ylissean history could be found. He was pointed in the direction, and with his practice in scouring libraries he found the section with relative ease. The series of shelves was signposted in gold lettering, a proud declaration of its genre. 

Robin allowed himself to run his fingers along the spines of the books, imagining what he’d find beneath the covers. He’d been taught about Ylisse when he was young, but it wouldn’t take a genius to notice the biased slant of his education. They were the nation that had sleign the fell dragon first, and everything else second. He wondered what Ylisseans learned about their own culture, and imagined that Plegia was similarly vilified to them. 

He supposed that there was only one way to find out, and that his resources were staring him right in the face. 

Amongst the books, a particularly large volume stood out to him. Bound in leather, letters etched into its spine read ‘The Kingdom of Ylisse: A Complete History’. While obviously broad in topic, he imagined it would be a good place to start - a topic as significant as the Fire Emblem was bound to be mentioned. He picked up the large book with both hands, and brought it over to the nearby table. 

Opening the book, he truly noticed its age, seeing how the pages had yellowed with it. He went straight to its index, and lo and behold: 

‘Fire Emblem, Pages 50, 51, 52, …’ 

Sucking in a breath, he turned to the first mentioned relevant page. Within it, he found a gorgeously intricate illustration of the prize he had come here for.

The shield was delicately rendered, the edges of it embellished with words in a language he had not learned. Its gemstones were strikingly coloured, vibrant inks highlighting each one’s importance. 

However, what caught his eye the most was the background.

Two dragons were drawn, intertwined with one another, interlocked in a never ending battle. One a verdant green, stunning. The other covered in jet black scales, intimidating. He recognised the scene instantly, as if it were second nature. 

Naga and Grima.

Transfixed by the illustration, he seemingly forgot about reading the text. It enthralled him. So often he had seen depictions of Grima, but never like this, never with Naga - equally grand, equally prominent. If anything, she seemed to be conquering Grima, outdoing him. A beautiful scene, instead of tragic. For some reason, he felt bile rise in his throat.

Staring so intently, he did not notice the approach of a familiar face. 

“Robin! Interested in history?” 

Jolting upright with a start, Robin looked up to see Chrom standing across from him. He was leaning on the opposite chair, smiling at him with warm curiosity. 

“Wh- Chrom? What are you doing here?” 

A stupid question, he realised. This _was_ his castle.

Amused at this, Chrom chuckled, though there was now some hesitance in his stance.

“I came to see you, but you were gone from your room. I imagined this might be the sort of place you would visit. However… would you prefer some time to yourself?” 

Forgetting that, yes, actually he did come here to study things that his target shouldn’t be intruding on and, yes, that did mean he should probably ask to be left alone, Robin instead rushed to reassure him. 

“No, no! It’s fine.” He smiled sheepishly at Chrom. “I honestly forgot where I was for a moment… a good book can do that to me. Please, feel free to stay.”

Assurance granted, Chrom nodded, and pulled out the chair to sit down. He looked between Robin and the book, as if looking for a conversation opener. Robin decided to speak up first.

“Thank you so much for the lunch today. I saw the note.” He nodded his head at Chrom to show his gratitude. At the very least, he must show he was genuinely grateful for these small things. “It was very kind of you to let me rest.” 

“Oh, of course!” Chrom perked up at this. “I’m relieved I judged that right… I thought you might be annoyed that I chose not to wake you, but I figured you may need the rest after such a journey - especially with your invaluable assistance in the fighting.” 

Robin’s smile in response was forced.

“Not at all. I simply responded to the situation at hand to the best of my ability… It is what anyone would do.” Closing his book with steady hands, he swiftly looked to change the topic of conversation. “Are you fond of reading, Chrom?” 

“Hm? Me?” The prince seemed surprised at the question, though it was a pleasant surprise. “Well… it is not exactly something I’m known for, but I suppose I do have a fondness for it. When I was younger, I found myself greatly inspired by fantastical tales of heroes. Not exactly highbrow, I suppose, but the stories meant a lot to me. I tell myself I should take up reading again, but… I think many would be surprised to find me in a library. I’m expected to be seen swinging swords, not sat with my nose in a book.” 

Despite himself, Robin chuckled at this response. He’d known Chrom a short time, but somehow an answer like this seemed right from him. The sentimental but wreckless prince. Being trusted with Chrom’s sentimental side again made something within him feel warm.

“I think I get it… that childlike love of books. I also grew up with them, though in my case I never stopped having my nose between the covers. With the responsibilities of my position, I suppose I feel obliged to read much more serious genres. I haven’t considered ‘fantastical tales of heroes’ for a long time.” Robin’s smile turned gentle at the thought, nostalgic. “It reminds me of the books my mother would give me to read.” 

“Your mother?” Chrom tilted his head. He left that question open ended, waiting for Robin to lead on. 

However, Robin found his words stuck in his throat. 

He had not intended to mention his mother. Not at such an early stage. Not so soon, if ever. He lowered his gaze, cursing inwardly at the uncanny effect Chrom had on him to make him get carried away.

Validar had his mother killed when he was six. She was branded as a traitor to Grima, accused of working in the shadows against the grimleal. He’d never known the truth behind these claims, he’d been too young, but he had instead grown to understand the truth of his father. He was a cruel man. He was sure his mother had been killed unjustly, and he wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

But not here. Not to Chrom. Not when there was so much at stake in this mission. He knew Chrom already did not like Validar, which reflected on how he trusted Plegia. If he knew that Validar had killed his mother, what then? 

There was always something bigger to think about. Something beyond himself. It meant that Chrom couldn’t know these things.

But what was he to say? Surely, it would not be hard to simply tell half truths about the situation. His mother had passed away, that was all. 

“...Robin?” 

He was brought out of his thoughts by Chrom’s tentative voice. He looked back up at him to see the concern within his deep blue eyes. 

“I’m sorry, should I not have asked about that?” 

Shit. He’d made his thought process obvious, he’d made it obvious that something was wrong. He couldn’t have Chrom be suspicious about this topic. 

“Oh! No, no. No it’s…” The forced smile returned to his face. “It’s not a big deal. She-”

“Hey.” 

Firm hands placed on top of his own stopped him dead in his sentence. Chrom was now leaned across the table, his eye contact with Robin straightforward but gentle. 

“It’s okay. You can take your time in telling me anything… Or, you even don’t have to tell me at all. It’s up to you. Don’t force yourself. Alright?” 

The smile that came to Chrom’s face was one intended to reassure him, and Robin stared into it, trying to decipher what was underneath. 

But… 

The conclusion was rather simple. Chrom was a kind man, a kind man who wasn’t expecting anything of him. The topic of his mother wasn’t one to be suspicious of, but one to be respected. The simple recognition of this fact touched him unequivocally.

It hurt.

Why was he tasked to kill someone so giving? 

“... Thank you, Chrom.” 

The truth he’d been avoiding was that he did not want to do it. 

“I truly appreciate the kindness you’ve shown me.” 

However, that did not mean that what he wanted mattered. 

He drew his hands away from Chrom, breaking their contact, but he never looked away. The smile on his face was difficult to hold, but he didn’t look away. He hoped that, at the very least, the truth of how he felt would reach the other prince that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! this fic isn't dead!
> 
> a lot has been happening over the past few months that's meant that writing has been difficult, but i finally was able to sit down and finish this chapter. i'm not sure what an update schedule will look like, but i have every intention of writing as much of this fic as i can. if you've been here from the start and you're still reading, thank you so much!
> 
> i hope you enjoy robin half as much as i like writing him, there's so much i want to do with him in this fic! the fact that robin and aversa are technically canonically siblings has so much potential that to me is untapped, and i can't wait to expand on that.
> 
> and, again, we contemplate whether or not chrom should die :) which is always fun
> 
> thanks for reading!


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